Hem marker



' Aug. 3, 1948. s. o. O THWIN HEM-MARKER Filed July, 25, 1945 2Sheets$heet 1 lNVENTOR BY SIDNEY QORTHMIN ATTORNEYS 1948. s. o. ORTHWIN2,446,319

HEM-MARKEfi v Filed July 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiY I v ATTORNEYSPatented Aug. 3, i948 TED STATES PATENT OFFKIE This invention relates todevices used for K marking hems in women's skirts, dresses, coats andother items of wearing apparel wherein it is desired to establish apre-determined hem line.

The devices of the prior art have not been entirely satisfactory forvarious and sundry reasons. One type of marking device for marking hemson womenswearing apparel is that wherein a chalk mark is established atthe desired height on the wearing apparel, but these chalk marks areeasily removed and brushed from many materials while on others it isextremely difiicult to remove the chalk marks. Particularly, the chalkmarks are diflicult to see on light-colored materials, particularlywhite, and on dark-colored materials it is diflicult to completelyremove all traces of the chalk mark. Other devices such as a. loop orpartial loop has been proposed for marking hems, but these also have notbeen completely satisfactory.

The rather universal practice is, therefore, to use a ruler and measurethe location of each pin that is placed in an item of wearing apparel toestablish a hem line therein. Unless the pins are carefully placed inthe material, they are many times lost, thus requiring considerablemanual dexterity on the part of the operator to establish a proper hemline.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improvedform of a hem marking device wherein the device folds the material thatis being worked upon in a suitable manner to receive a pin so that thepin will not readily drop from the material, and also wherein themarking device can be readily removed from the material withoutdisturbing in the least the location of the pin.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hem markingdevice in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the position ofeach pin that is placed in an item of wearing apparel in which a hemline is being established is accurately measured from the floor linewithout requiring independent measurement on behalf of the operator.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved form of hemmarker wherein each pin that is inserted into an item of wearing apparelat the hem line is inserted in a true horizontal position, manualdexterity of the operator in locating the horizontal position of the pinbeing unrequired because the device automatically positions each pin ina true horizontal position. e

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hemmarking device wherein an anvil is provided that cooperates with amovable head in such a manner that the fabric material being worked uponis properly folded between the head and the anvil to receive a pinthrough the folds of the material, and wherein the anvil and head eachhave means that cooperate to receive and guide a pin through the foldedmaterial in a true horizontal position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofhem marking device wherein a formed anvil is placed on one side of apiece of fabric material and a cooperating formed head is placed on theopposite side of the fabric material so that when the head is broughtinto engagement with the anvil the fabric material will be folded in theproper manner to receive a marking pin through the same- Still anotherobject of the invention is to provide a device in accordancewith theforegoing object wherein the anvil and the head each have a slot thereinwhich cooperates with the slot in the cooperating part to provide anopening in which a pin is received and is properly guided through thefolded material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofhem marking device in accordance with any of the foregoing objectswherein the device is provided with laws that open to receive the fabricmaterial therebetween, one of the jaws carrying a formed anvil and theother cooperating jaw .carrying a formed head that cooperates with theanvil to fold the fabric material therebetween.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hem marker inaccordance with the foregoing object wherein the jaws open automaticallywhen they are released by the operator to permit the operator to movethe hem marking device to a new position. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hem marking devicein accordance with any of the objects of this invention that can bemanufactured at a reasonablecost, and will have a pleasing. appearanceand good sales appeal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hem marking device thatis adapted to mark an identical hem line in two or more pieces of fabricmaterial simultaneously such as the outer material of a coat and thelining thereof, and if the coat has an inner lining to mark this memberat the same time.

Furthersobjects and advantages will become.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective elevational hem marking device constructed inaccordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a hem marking device illustratedin Figure 1 showing the Jaws thereof in open position.

Figure 3 is a partial side'view of the device illustrated in Figure 2showing the jaw in complete open position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross section view of the hem markingdevice. I

Figure 5 is a perspective elevational view of the anvil of the hemmarker. 3

Figure 6 is a perspective elevational view of I view of a the movablehead that cooperates with the anvil of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through the head andanvil of the hem marker showing the manner in which fabric material isfolded therebetween and a pin is inserted therein.

Figure 8 is a perspective elevational view of a modified form of anvilfor the hem marking device.

Figure 9 is a perspective elevational view of a modified form of headfor cooperating with the anvil of Figure 8. l

Figure 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through the anviland head of Figures 8 and 9 to illustrate the manner in which fabricmaterial is folded therebetween and a pin inserted therein. p

The hem marking device of this invention as particularly disclosed anddescribed herein which constitutes a preferred formof the device,consists of a vertical standard 10 that is mounted upon a base H. Thestandard ill carries the indicia i2 to indicate the heighth' of the pinmarking slot that will be hereinafter described. The indicia l2 carriedon the front face of the standard I0 are set forth in inches andsuitable marks i3 are provided between the indicia that set forth theinches to indicate fractions of an inch.- The standard l0 thus becomes ameasuring rule.

Thebase i l consists of a foot ll that has a slot II therein to receivethe lower portion of the standard it. A second foot i6 is adapted to bereceived within the forward portion of the slot ii. A single wood screwl1 extends through the foot I, the lower portion of the standard II andinto threaded engagement with a hole in the foot I! to secure the threeelements Ill, I4 and 16 together. A small button I8 is provided at eachend of the foot I4 and at the outer extremity of the foot ii to providea three-point support for the standard l0, thus providing for stabilityof the standard even though a floor surface may be quite uneven. a

The standard III is substantially rectangular in cross-section andis-received within a channelshaped body 20, the channel-shaped member 2!thus forming the main body of the hem marking device, and upon which theoperating mechanism of the device is mounted. The body 20 is adapted tobe clamped in position upon the standard In by means of the U-shapedclamp member 2|. A bolt 22 extendsbetween the open end of the U- shapedclamp member 2i and receives a thumb nut 23 that draws the ends of theclamp member 2| together to clamp the standard or measuring rule "Ibetween the. channel-shaped body member 20 and the clamp 2i. A recess 24is provided in one edge or the channel-shaped body 20 adjacent theU-shaped clamp member 2! to P 1- mit relative movement of the arm 2iA ofthe clamp member 2| to the arm 2 IB thereof.

The body 20 has an arm 25 pivotally mounted thereon, which arm 25cooperates with the upper portion of the body 20 to form a jaw that canbe opened and closed.

' The arm 25 is preferably constructed of sheet material formed in theshape of a V or right angle member. The lower end of the arm 25 carriesa U-shaped bracket 26 that is provided with aligned holes in the wings28A and 21A thereof to receive a pivot pin 28. The pivot pin 28 issuitably secured to the body 20 in a horizontal position thereon bymeans of soldering, welding or any other suitable operation. The upperend of the arm 25 forms a head 30 that cooperates with an anvil securedto the upper end of the body 20.

In the preferred form of the invention, the anvil 35 consists of a sheetmetal member that is bent in the form of a double parallel V or W asparticularly illustrated in Figure 5, or which may be serrated. Theanvil 35 is thusprovided with the apices 36 and 31 that are disposed inparallel relationship, and which lay in a common plane.

The aplces 36 and 31 of the anvil 35 are each provided with a horizontalslot 38 and 3! respectively, this slot being of a little larger diameterthan a common straight pin. The slots 32 and 3! are each provided withguiding walls ii and 32' respectively for guiding the point of a pinafter it has entered the slot means. The slot means 38 and 39 extenddownwardly from opposite sides of the anvil 35 and particularly from theface of the anvil against which the fabric material is placed. The slots38 and 39 may either be formed in the apices 35 and 31 by a suitable dieformin operation, or a suitable solid backing member can be inserted inthe rear portion of the apices Ii and 31 and the slots cut therein by asuitable milling operation. v

The anvil 35 is provided with extending arms 34 that extend around thechannel edges of the body 20, and are suitably secured thereto as with aspot welding operation.

Th'ehead' 30, previously referred to, is more particularly illustratedin Figure 6 wherein the head 30 is illustrated as consisting of aV-shaped sheet metal portion lll that is formed as an extension of thearm 25. The head portion or wing members or body portions ll of the headIII are elongated and are provided with the substantially V-shaped slotsll therein. The V-sh'aped slots 4i cooperate with the slots 38 and 39 inthe anvil 35 in a manner hereinafter referred to. The head 30 isprovided with a solid member 42 therein that is substantially asquare-shaped member so that the wings ll of the head 20 and thesurfaces 43 of the member 42 cooperate to form a substantially W-shapedor double V-shaped member that conforms to the double V-shaped or Wshape of the anvil 35.

The member 42 has the front corner thereof out of! to form a flatsurface 4. to prevent too much material from being pulled below thebottom of the slots 38 and 39 to avoid a deep crimp in the material. Theanvil 35 can be modified to follow the contour of the head 20. Themember 42 is also provided with a slot 46 therein that is of a'dlameterslightly larger than a common straight pin, and which slot 46 is inalignment with the slots 38 and 39 in the anvil 35 so that a pin canextend through the head ll and the anvil l5.

The arm 25 is mounted upon the body 2| by means of the pivot pin 28 insuch a manner the bottom edge of that the center of gravity of the arm25 is tothe left of the pivot pin 18, as viewed in Figures 2 and 4.Thus, with the center of gravity of the arm II to the left-hand side ofthe pivot pin 28. the arm 2! will always tend to move in acounterclockwise direction unless the operator manually holds the armagainst such rotation. 25, or jaw 25, will thus automatically openwhenever the operator releases the arm. Counterclockwise rotation of thearm 25 is controlled or regulated by means of the U-shaped bracket 2!,the portion 263 of the bracket-being adapted to engage the body 20 inthe manner illustrated in Figure 3 to thus control the opening of thearm or jaw 25. i

The above mentioned automatic opening of, i the jaws of the hem markerprevents an operator from dragging the hem marker across or around askirt or dress being marked without opening the laws. because when theoperator releases the arm 23 to move the marker, the jaw willautomatically open. When the slots 38 and 39 in the anvil 35 are inalignment with the slot 46 and the slots M in the head 30, an openingslightly larger than the diameter of a straight pin'is provided throughthe cooperating head 30 and anvil 35. With the head 30 closed on theanvil 35, as shown in Figure 7,a maximum distance with the fabricmaterial between the anvil and head, the rear portion of the slots M inthe head cooperate with the ends of the slots 33 and 39 to formtherewith openings of substantially the .diameter of a pin.

This construction is such that a pin passageway is provided for enteringof a pin and after the point of the pin has entered the pin passage, the

point of the pin is guided axially through the passageways provided bythe cooperating parts of the anvil and head including the guidingwallsindicated in the drawings by the primed numerals. The slots d6, 38 and39 havethelr'open ends toward one another so that when the head 30 ismoved relative to the anvil 35, a pin extending through the openingprovided by the cooperating slotswill be released from the head 30 andthe anvil 35.

The slots M are substantially V-shaped so the] when a pin is positionedin the device, and is The arm retained in the fold of a piece of fabricmaterial b ng. marked, the through the slots 4 I. slots are provided onso that a pin can be from the left-hand In using the hem head of the pincan pass The substantially V-shaped both sides of the head 30 insertedin the device either or right-hand side thereof. marking device, theclamp II is released to permit movement of the standard l0 within thebody 20 to adjust the height of the anvil from the floor, and thuslocate the heightof the slot 58 in the anvil 35 relative to the floor,the slot t6 thusestablishing the height of a hem line to be marked abovethe floor level. The indicia it that appear on the face of the standardor rule In read in inch dimensions from the bottom of the rule to thetop thereof. When the body 20 is aligned with one ofthe indicating marksl3 on the rule I 0, the rule will read directly in inches the distancebetween the slot 46 in the anvil 35 and the floor level.

When the device has been adjusted toestablish the proper height of hemline by locating the anvil 35ythe hem marker is normally swings in acounter-clockwise direction to open the jaws of the device 'asillustrated in Figure 2. The bottom edge of a skirt or other item ofwearing apparel is thenplaced between the open jaws of the hem markingdevice consisting of the arm and the body 20. The arm 25 is then movedtoward the body 20 to close the head upon the anvil 35.

When the head 30 closes upon the anvil 35, the fabric material that ispositioned between the head and the anvil is folded or creased into theshape of the anvil and head in the manner illustrated in Figure 7, thefabric material being given the numeral 60. It will be noted that thefabric material 60 conforms to the W shape of the coop.- eratingsurfaces of the anvil and the head 33.

With the head 30 closed upon the anvil $5, a straight pin 65 may then beplaced through the slot M in the head into the slot 39 of the anvil 35,and then pushed straight through the opening that is provided by thecooperating slots 33, 3t, 39 and ti, in the manner illustrated in Figure7. It will be noted that the pin-passes through the fabric material fourtimes, the material being given a double fold or double crease so'thatthe pin is securely held in the fabric material 60.

without causing, any pull upon the pin or dis placement through thefolds of the fabric material 60. The hem marking device can now beplaced at another location around the skirt, or other item of wearingapparel that is being marked, so that other pins can be inserted in thematerial to establish the desired hem line.

In Figures 8, 9 and 10 there is illustrated a slightly modifiedarrangement of the head and anvil of the hem marking device of thisinvention wherein the head and the anvil are provided with a singleV-shaped surface in place of the double V or W-shaped cooperatingsurfaces heretofore referred to. In these figures there is illustrated asubstantially V-shaped anvil 15 that may be attached to the body 20A ofthe hem marking device. The V-shaped anvil i5 is provided with a slot 16transversely across the apex 11' thereof which is also provided with auiding wall 16' to guide the point of a pin through the slot. This slot76 compares with the slots 38 and 39 in the apices of the anvil 35, andcan either be press formed into t e anvil 15 or can be cut therein by amilling operation in the same manner as heretofore disclosed anddescribed with regard to slots 38 and 39. The anvil 15 may thus besubstituted for the anvil 35.

A head 80 is adapted to cooperate with the V- shaped anvil l5, andconsists of a V-shaped member 8! that cooperates with the V-shapedsurface when ahem is being of the anvil I5. Slots 82 are-provided ineach side of the V-shaped member 8| and are adapted to be in alignmentwith the slot 16 in the anvil 15 when the head is positioned against theanvil 15 so that an opening slightly larger than the diameter of acommon straight pin is provided heretofore referred to and illustratedin Figure 7.

The head 80 may be carried upon the arm 25A of the device andbe'substituted for the head 30 heretofore disclosed and described.

When the head Bil is placed-against the anvil 15 with apiece of fabricmaterial therebetween, as illustrated'in Figure 10, a v-shaped fold isprovided in the fabric material 90. The

7 I slots 02 and It permit entry of a pm I through the folded fabricmaterial II in the manner illustrated in Figure 10 so that when the headI is moved away from the anvil "ii the pin will remain through the foldor crease in the fabric material ll.

In so far as the general operation of the hem marker is concerned,utilizing the modified anvil II and the modified head .0, the operationis the same as heretofore described with reference to the principal formof the invention.

It will be noted that in using the device of this invention, regardlessof type of head and anvil provided thereon, that the pin, will be guidedin a horizontal position through the folds of the material, and thateach pin will be absolutely horizontal regardless of any manualdexterity on the part of the operator, thus eliminating a point ofdiillculty in establishing even hem lines in that when pins are placedin a hem in a position angular to the horizontal, a seamstress does notknow what point through the pin is the desired hem position. The deviceof this invention eliminates this difficulty because each pin will beplaced in the folds of the material in a true horizontal position,thereby accurately guiding a seamstress in referring to theexact/position of a desired hem line.

Also, two or more pieces of fabric material can be marked simultaneouslywith the device of this invention. This feature is particularlyadvanta'geous when marking the hem line in coats having-an inner liningand a lining. In this instance the coat material, the lining and/orinner lining are all laced between the head and the anvil of the. devicesimultaneously so that a pin can be inserted through themsimultaneously, or if desired each item can be marked separately.

While the apparatus disclosed and described herein constitute preferredforms of the invention, it will be understood that the device iscaliable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit'ofthe invention, and that all modifications that fall within the scope ofthe appended claims are intended to be included herein.

' Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as, new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i i

1. A hem marking device that includes in the combination, a verticalstandard, and a marking device movable thereon whichincludes; an anvilmember having sides, a movable head member eooperable with said anvil toreceive a fabric material therebetween and having body portions thereofpositionable at opposite sides of said anvil to produce a fold in thefabric material Placed between said head and said anvil, one of saidmembers having slot means in the fabric folding portion thereofpositioned angularly to the fold of the fabric material placed betweenthe said members, said slot means extending inwarmy from opposite sidesof said one member in iongitudinal alignment and having a verticaldimension in the transverse cross section thereof substantially the sameas a pin received therein and forming unobstructed passage means toreceives, pin projected through the said slot means, and said othermember having notches in the said body portions aligned longitudinallywith said slot means at opposite sides of the said mem bers and formingwith said slot means a pin passageway having a'horizontal dimension ofsubstantially the same size asthe said vertical dimension of said slotmeans when one'member is body P tions therefor forming a V positionableat opposite sides of said anvil to produce a fold in the fabric materialplaced between said head and said anvil, one of said members having slotmeans extending across the apex of the V in the fabric folding portionthereof positioned angularly to the fold of the fabric material placedbetween the said members, said slot means extending inwardly fromopposite sides of said one member in longitudinal alignment and having avertical dimension in the transverse cross section thereof substantiallythe same as a pin received therein and forming unobstructed passagemeans to receive a pin projected through the said slot means, and saidother member having notches in the said body portions alignedlongitudinally with said slot means at opposite sides of the said one.member and forming with said slot means a pin-pa s geway having ahorizontal dimensionof substantially the same size as the said verticaldimension of said slot means when one member is moved toward the othermember its maximum distance with fabric material between the saidmembers, said slot means includingv a wall for guiding the point of thepin axially after it has entered said pin passageas hem, marking devicethat includes in the combination,- a vertical standard, and a markingdevice movable thereon. which includes; an anvil member having aserrated surface, a movable head member cooperable with said anvil toreto receive a pin projected through the said slot means, and said othermember having notches in the said body portions aligned longitudinallywith said slot means at opposite sides of the said one member andforming with said slot means a pin passageway having a horizontaldimension of substantially the same size as the said vertical dimensionof said slot means when one member is moved toward the other member itsmaximum distance with fabric material between the said members, saidslot means including a wall for guiding the point of the pin axiallyafter it has entered said pin passageway.

4. A hemmarking device that includes in the combination a verticalstandard, and a marking device movable thereon which includes; an anvilmember having sides forming a V, a movable head member cooper-able withsaid anvil to receive a fabric material therebetween and having bodyportions therefor forming a V positionable at opposite sides of saidanvil to produce a fold in the fabric material placed between said headand said anvil, one of said members having slot means extending acrossthe apex of the V in the fabric folding portion thereof positionedangularly to the fold of the fabric material placed between the saidmembers, said slot means extending inwardly from opposite sides of saidone member in longitudinal alignment and having a vertical dimension inthe transverse cross section thereof substantially the same as a pinreceived therein and forming unobstructed passage means to receive a pinprojected through the said slot means, and said other member havingnotches in the said body portions aligned longitudinally with said slotmeans at opposite sides of the said one memher and forming with saidslot means a pin passageway having a horizontal dimension ofsubstantially the same size as the said vertical dimension of said slotmeans when one member is moved toward the other member its maximumdistance with fabric material between the said members, said slot meansincluding a wall for guiding the point of the pin axially after it hasentered said pin passageway, the sides of said anvil member beingparallel to the corresponding cooperating sides of said body portionswhen said members have been moved in fabric engaging position.

5. A hem marking device that includes in the combination, a verticalstandard, and a marking device movable thereon which includes; an anvilmember having a W-shaped surface, a movable head member cooperable withsaid anvil to receive a fabric material therebetween and having aW-shaped surface positionable on the W- shaped surface of said anvil toproduce folds in the fabric material placed between said head and saidanvil, one of said members having slot means extending across the apexof the W in the fabric member and forming with said slot means a pinpassageway having a horizontal dimension of substantially the same sizeas the said vertical dimension of said slot means when one member ismoved toward the other member its maximum distance with fabric materialbetween the said members, said slot means including a wall for guidingthe point of the pin axiallyafter it has entered said pin passageway,

SIDNEY O. ORTHWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 825,941 Scully July 17, 19061,030,951 Walton July 2, 1912 1,619,046 Hobbs Feb. 1, 1927 1,979,789Barrett Nov. 6, 1934 2,433,082 Yechout Dec. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 176,006 Switzerland June 1, 1945

